Services

Red Arrows widow's 'mixed emotions'

The widow of a pilot killed following a Red Arrows display last summer has spoken of her grief on the anniversary of his death.

Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging, 33, from Rutland, was killed when his Hawk T1 aircraft came down near Bournemouth Airport in Dorset on August 20 2011, after performing at an air show.

Dr Emma Egging helped set up the Jon Egging Trust in his honour, as a charity designed to help inspire young under-achievers to become more confident and develop their skills with accredited training.

Speaking from Bournemouth - where a memorial has been unveiled to the public as a silent reminder of Flt Lt Egging's life - Dr Egging said she was feeling "mixed emotions" on her return to the town where her husband and partner of 13 years died.

She said: "It is obviously hard because every time I come here, I think of Jon. Life has changed so much in the last year.

"Jon might not be here anymore, but I feel very much that everything I have achieved since last August is something that Jon would have been proud of. It is fantastic to see the memorial to Jon, on the cliff top with the beautiful views of the sea in the background.

"It represents exactly what Jon stood for - you should set your goals and reach for the skies. You can achieve, you just have to try."

The Jon Egging Trust was set up in the weeks following the pilot's death, and was launched in Lincolnshire to help 13 to 21-year-olds suffering from low confidence and low self-esteem. They were mentored by pilots and eventually earned credits towards their BTEC qualifications.

Dr Egging said: "This has been one of the best things to come out of the Jon Egging Trust, the fact that young people have had the chance to be inspired and gain some confidence. The Reds are fantastic, the pilots have been great, so we are hoping to roll out similar schemes across the UK in the next year and encourage more young people to get involved."

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